Rabbi Yigal Cohen - There Is No Despair in the World at All!

In Likutey Moharan by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, of blessed memory, he extensively praises the virtue of joy. Among his many teachings on this topic, he writes (Tinyana, Torah 78: "Ve'haklal") "there is no despair in the world at all." How can a Jew, who has the greatest Father in history, ever experience despair?

He also wrote that a person who achieves joy, Hashem protects them from damaging their sanctity at all, and due to joy, the person’s heart opens to serve their Creator.

He further told his students, "If you were happy, it would bring great good to the world," and therefore, he instructed his followers to always be joyful, so they could spread blessings and goodness upon the world.

Whom Will Hashem Meet?

An amazing teaching from Chazal is brought in the Tractate Derech Eretz (Zuta, Chapter 3, Mishnah 2):

"Hashem said, if you carry out My words "with joy," My heavenly court will go forth to protect you on the way, and I, too, will meet you and greet you with peace."

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What Is Joy?

Imagine someone who has been learning to drive for a long time. After taking the practical test, the driving instructor informs them the next day that they passed. They immediately head to the licensing office to get their license.

The moment the driver hears the news, they feel great joy in their heart, stemming from satisfaction. After anticipating this moment and finally reaching it, they immediately feel fulfilled from achieving what they wanted, and this is joy in the heart.

Similarly, a person who has longed for a spouse and, after meeting their goals, is filled with joy, which is essentially a sense of satisfaction.

A Jew who has waited many years to have children, and when Hashem grants them this blessing, they are filled with a sense of satisfaction, "I have children!"

The more important the matter is, the greater the feeling of satisfaction and joy.

A person who feels content with what he has in life is a happy person. Conversely, a person who does not feel satisfied with themselves is a sad person. If they look at themselves in the mirror and are not happy with what they see, every time they see themselves, they will feel a slight sadness. Similarly, if they are not satisfied with their home, every time they enter it, they will again feel sadness in their heart.

A Jew who expects their children to be beautiful and smart, and if this is not granted and they are disappointed, they are not satisfied with what Hashem has given them, and every time they see them, instead of feeling joy in their heart for the gift given freely from Hashem, sadness will again enter their heart.

Similarly, a man or woman who married and is not satisfied with the match Hashem provided, there's no doubt that joy will not reside in their heart, because in every argument or disagreement, they will immediately feel a lack of satisfaction followed by sadness.

Who Is Joyful?

If we examine all aspects of life, we find that the joyful person is the one who does not have special expectations, and does not expect anything, and therefore feels that everything they receive is a free gift and rejoices in it. On the other hand, the sad person thinks they are entitled to certain things at a certain level, and when they do not receive what they believe is their due, they feel dissatisfied.

Let's take as an example a woman who is a kindergarten teacher by profession and thinks that a teacher of her level deserves to manage a nursery with beautiful flooring made of fine ceramics, with modern toys, and of course, a respectable salary. After searching for such a kindergarten that meets her conditions, she finds that, at the moment, no such kindergarten is available, so she settles for a simpler one with old floors, outdated toys, and a lower salary than expected. You can surely understand that she will not be happy in her work, and every moment she is there, she will feel like a "continuous atonement."

In contrast, a teacher who feels she has the "privilege" to educate the children of Israel, and does not think she is entitled to anything, and on the contrary, feels that the nursery managers are doing her a favor by employing her, also helping her earn a livelihood. When she arrives at the nursery with the old floors and the salary just like the previous one, etc., she feels a sense of fulfillment and joy and raises her eyes to Hashem in a prayer of thanks for having achieved work in the education of the children of Israel.

We learn from these teachings, that two women work in the same exact profession: one feels she is doing a favor for the management and the children by being there, and every day awaits an opportunity to escape. In contrast, the other arrives at work with enthusiasm, her mouth filled with praise and thanks to Hashem for the wonderful privilege she received in being able to educate the children of Israel and provide for her family with dignity.

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